Robo Wunderkind is basically a game, designed for children aged six and over, which on the one hand stimulates creativity and on the other teaches the fundamentals of programming techniques.
Robo Wunderkind, the review
The Basic that no longer exists
The writer still remembers the feeling of wonder when, at a more innocent age, he looked in amazement at a monochrome display showing the word “Hello World” given by the PRINT command in BASIC, not on a computer but on a Casio fx-7500G calculator that today would make you laugh also the cheapest of smartphones but which at the time was an incredible innovation.
Without falling too much into amarcord, it is clear that the world has changed but the point is that children today are literally invaded by smartphones, tablets, AppleTV and consoles with the consequence, not even so subtle, of finding everything ready and losing that feeling. of wonder in the little things that we had a few years ago.
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It is not a problem in an absolute sense, it is time that changes and with it the rules of the game: it serves to understand how to get into their heads and insert fundamentals that later in adulthood, will help them in the world of work, if they want to do this job, but that in an absolute sense they will also be comfortable in the general organization, because teaching is always valid.
Robo Wunderkind tries this with a very interesting approach, proposing on the one hand the construction of objects and on the other a didactic useful to make them “work”, literally, with simple and fluid commands in their sequence.
At the beginning better in two
With the box open we are faced with a set of pieces that, at first glance, are somewhat reminiscent of the Lego Duplo series, but which immediately afterwards show considerable diversity. The pieces are designed to connect to each other in different ways, but inside they contain connectors that allow them to move independently, or to light or play.
The two universal apps Robo Live and Robo Code help by providing first an elementary guide to the construction of predefined models, in 3D largely manageable in real time, and then concrete help in animations.
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The writer suggests, at least in the first steps, the presence of a parent because the topic is far from obvious and those who do not have the “mindset” may find themselves in a bit of difficulty (both children and adults, attention) , not so much in understanding what to do but in how to move appropriately.
However, the work of the guys at Robo Technologies is to be commended and after a few moves, the children will understand for themselves if and how to continue developing their ideas.
The sense of logic
The approach is based on the flow of commands: in a program, things work as they should if all the elements are in sync and if the sequence is correct.
There is obviously no code to write, only objects to move from the palette to the work surface, to match the object mounted and synchronized, via Wi-Fi, with the smartphone or, better, an iPad (because the larger screen it helps).
The products can move by themselves or on command with a console, they can light up in various colors and emit sounds, or do everything together or in a programmed sequence.
The best thing is that the platform is open to the strangest ideas and there are no limits to what children or teens can do with their toy, as well as the fairly elementary shape of the results is depicted in their particular fantasy. .
The product is good and interesting but it is not without flaws: the initial part is not complex but you need the will to understand and question yourself, just as some commands are more complex than others and here and there the sense of frustration because one what does not happen as we would like it to come, which is good because this is also part of the very fabric of programming and above all it teaches them to creatively solve difficulties.
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Considerations
The set we tested is the Education Kit, which we suggest to evaluate instead of the cheaper Starter Kit, too thin in the objects and limiting in the long run. The kits are interchangeable and it would be interesting to have more than one to vary with the imagination, but here comes the second problem, the cost.
Although the idea behind it is good and the requests probably high in terms of development, it is clear that 249.00 Euros for the Education Kit are not low for a grandfather or a parent who thinks about the gift under the tree for their own. child, but on this we leave the various Santa Claus free to opt for the best choice.
Before purchasing, we invite readers to take a look at the instagram page of the project, to evaluate the idea but also the real results obtained.
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#ROBOPROJECTS # 3 Who says that robots can't paint? Look at our Robo swirling around with a marker creating amazing art. ? There are endless projects that you can invent with the help of your Robo. Get inspired and start creating your own! ? Don't forget to participate in our #RoboCreatorChallenge and win a Servo motor and an RGB light. Submit your works until the 30th of September using #RoboxArt #RoboCreatorChallenge
Pro:
• The dynamic is interesting • You need an adult, but only at the beginning • It's a game, but it can give much more
Cons:
• High price • The basic packaging is too simple
Price:
• 179.00 Euro (Starter Kit) • 249.00 Euro (Education Kit)
Readers can find Robo Wunderkind starting from the Amazon.it pages both in the Starter version at 179.00 Euro and Education at 249.00 Euro.